Press Releases and Articles

The CPME Board met on 2 & 3 September in Brussels. The following statements were adopted:

The CPME Board met on 2 and 3 September in Brussels. The following statements were adopted:

- CPME action plan against obesity (EN / FR): By adopting this action plan, CPME intends to play an active role in helping to reverse the obesity trend.  The action plan will also be a CPME contribution to the EU Diet, physical activity and health platform, of which it is co-founder.

- Health and Environment (REACH) (EN / FR):  CPME considers the substitution principle should be mandatory in respect of all highly suspicious chemicals, and that the precautionary principle should guide the action taken by European health professionals. Moreover, CPME proposes further action for developing knowledge on the links between environmental pollution and health.

- Fighting tobacco (EN / FR): CPME welcomes the EU-wide ban on tobacco advertising that entered into force on 1 August, as well as the initiative of those national governments introducing smoke-free legislation. CPME urges all governments to ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and to take further action to create smoke free surroundings. Finally, CPME endorsed the European Campaign on Smoking and Blindness.

-Testing medicinal products on incapacitated patients (EN / FR): CPME calls for a revision of the Good Clinical Practice Directive. It proposes that research in emergency situations is allowed on individuals from whom it is not possible to obtain consent, of course fully respecting  medical ethics and the rights and integrity of the patient as defined by the World Medical Association’s  “Declaration of Helsinki”.

- Health and Safety at work: Two policy documents were adopted. The first one entitled “Organisational Health: a paradigm shift – from vision to change (EN / FR)”, claims for the reinforcement of the social aspect for realising healthy workplaces and organisations. This includes a value based company culture, a stimulating and inspiring management style, enabling employees to use their potential to the full, and an exemplary role by management.

- The second paper adopted by CPME in relation to health and safety at work focuses on the prevention of “needle stick injuries” (EN / FR).

- Time spent with each patient (EN / FR): CPME supports all medical associations in their efforts to ensure that doctors have sufficient time with their patients to practice scientific and high quality medicine which must be provided to all patients.

All CPME Policy documents are available at: http://www.cpme.be/policy.php

For more information about CPME, consult our website: http://www.cpme.be

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME), representing about 2 million doctors through the National Medical Associations of the European Union / European Economic Area, aims to promote the highest standards of medical training and medical practice in order to achieve the highest quality of health care for all citizens of Europe.